Caucus 05.23.17: w/Attorney General Bob Ferguson

Oh how times have changed since our last event back in October with Gov. Inslee... Has it been four years yet?  

Fortunately, here in the upper left we have leaders like Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson who have stepped up to keep power in check. 

Considering the stakes of our current political environment, we felt it prudent to invite our esteemed AG out to the Caucus, and he accepted.  

Please join us for a very special evening with AG Ferguson Tuesday, May 23rd, 7:30pm to 9:30pm @ Jade Garden in Seattle's Chinatown / ID. 

As always, space is limited and we are expecting a FULL house, so please RSVP here.

See you on the 23rd!

 

 

Caucus 10.17.16: w/Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee

In this unique Caucus event we team up with current affairs TV program Inside Outlook for a televised Town Hall "style" discussion with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. The event is scheduled for Monday, October 17 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

The discussion will be video recorded and produced for the current affairs TV progam, Inside Outlook, and will be broadcast in early November.

The first full season of Inside Outlook was aired regionally on NWCN and UWTV, and can be viewed at insideoutlook.tv

What is the Caucus? It is a rough network of about 200 individuals here in Seattle that meet up quarterly at the Jade Garden restaurant in Seattle's Chinatown/ID to discuss politics. It claims no political affiliation.

Periodically, the group hosts events, in which it invites community leaders and thinkers to discuss a specific topic with event attendees. All past events can be found at: caucuspost.org

Caucus is an active participatory audience that is tasked with developing the questions to be asked of the Governor.

Monday October 17th will be no different. Except that a few cameras will be documenting it.

Caucus 4.28.16: The Race For The 7th

With US Representative Jim McDermott having held his seat for 27 years, WA District 7 voters are in the unique position of voting for a replacement. An office, which due to the district's seemingly iron-clad political leanings have led many to characterize the outcome of the 2016 Congressional race as a "lifetime appointment."

For life or not, the stakes of this election are high as the region and the nation at-large face seemingly insurmountable challenges in brokering legislative solutions to the plethora of political, economic, social, and environmental challenges we face in this early 21st Century.

Who would want to voluntarily throw themselves into this mess? Why? What political solutions are being proposed, and how likely are they to see the light of day? In a district as homogeneously liberal as WA-7, what differentiates the candidates running for the position? Well, the CAUCUS, with its intent to engender frank dialogue within the community invited three of the candidates running for this position to come answer these question and to share their vision and the policy prescriptions the seek to pursue as our next member of the US Congress. They graciously accepted.

Please join us for a very special evening with candidates: Pramila Jayapal, Joe McDermott, and Brady Walkinshaw.

As always we are expecting a capacity participatory audience so please hit that red RSVP button ASAP to secure your spot, here.

Caucus 4.28.15: Mass Incarceration in America

There are over 2.4 million people sitting in American prisons right now. Rates of incarceration in this country have increased 400% over the past 30 years. Between 1990 and 2009 the number of Americans housed in private prisons has risen 1600%.

This has led many to declare that we are living in an age of mass incarceration driven by a justice system that is over-criminalizing the citizenry, and in particular, racial minorities, low income individuals and youth.

What is driving this explosive growth in incarceration rates nationally? What are the impacts of high levels of imprisonment on overall crime? And what rehabilitation programs are in place to counter recidivism and are they showing results?

We will explore these and many more questions concerning the future of the US criminal justice system with our esteemed guests:

• Dan Satterberg, King County Prosecuting Attorney  

• Nikkita Oliver, Community Organizer / UW Law Student   

As always we are expecting a capacity participatory audience so please RSVP here and secure your spot.

Caucus 10.28.14: Sexual Abuse on US Campuses

“The price of a college education should not include a 1-in-5 chance of being sexually assaulted,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

In May of this year, the US Department of Education announced that federal investigators were looking into whether 55 colleges and universities illegally handled sexual violence and harassment complaints.

This investigation combined with a bi-partisan bill put forth by Sen. Gillibrand to hold colleges and universities accountable, and a growing student protest movement demanding action has exposed the depth of this disturbing reality.

What is the extent of the federal probe, and what can be done on a legilsative level to address this? What are local colleges and universities doing, or not, to adequately safe guard students?

With speakers:

• Susan Freccia, Project Manager, Task Force on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, University of Washington

• Rachel Wellman, Coordinator, Title IX Compliance, Bellevue Community College 

• Jonathan Grove, Program Coordinator, Men Against Violence at Pacific Lutheran University

We will be discussing this issue at the next CAUCUS: 7:30pm to 9:00pm - Tuesday, 10.28.14

As always we are expecting a capacity participatory audience so please RSVP (here) and secure your spot!

Caucus 4.29.14: Affordable Housing

SEATTLE ON THE HOUSING PRECIPICE? 

Leave it to a pair of journalists to add a little sensationalism to capture your attention... In all seriousness, for the first time in over 100 years metro Seattle is growing faster than its suburbs. There are many factors contributing to this growth spurt, but with Amazon alone projecting over 40,000 new hires over the next 10 years in South Lake Union, housing and rental prices are soaring.

Over the last year, Seattle registered a 7.6% annual growth in median rent prices, which represents the sixth largest jump in the nation. The Emerald City also overtook Bellevue for the dubious distinction of having the region's highest average rent for a one-bedroom unit: $1,346.

This increase has spurred new apartment construction throughout the city to meet this seemingly insatiable high-end renters market. But it is also displacing residents who live in less expensive housing, which is being razed and replaced by higher ticket units.

Does this set of social and economic circumstances spell the end of affordable housing in Seattle?

We will explore this and many more questions concerning the future of Seattle Housing with a highly esteemed group of guests who are authorities on the subject. Should be fun.

As always we are expecting a capacity participatory audience so please hit that blue RSVP button, here and secure your spot!

Jade delicacies and drink will of course be served.

Caucus 1.28.14: Living Wage

LIVING WAGE. LIVING WAGE.

Its on the tongue of many. We have the good fortune of having two of the region's most prominent voices on the issue coming to our next Caucus: 1.28.14 at the Jade Garden: Heather Weiner, spokeswoman for Yes for SeaTac and Ramy Khalil, campaign manager for Seattle City Councilwoman, Kshama Sawant, and 15 Now organizaer. 

This being a hot topic issue, we expect a healthy turn out, so please RSVP, here.

Jade delicacies and drink will of course be served.

Caucus 10.8.13: Mayoral Candidate Ed Murray

In kicking off the new format for Caucus, we have invited Seattle Mayoral Candidate Ed Murray to come down to the Jade Garden on Tuesday the 8th of October, 7:30pm to 9:00pm, to share his vision for the future of Seattle to the group.

As always, we will strive to keep a free flowing and open conversation with Candidate Murray, but structured with some milepost questions to guide the discussion.

Should be a good one! Looking forward to your attendance.

PLEASE RSVP, here. 

Caucus 6.4.13: The SUPERSONIC Telenovela w/Art Thiel

Nostalgic Sonic fan or not, the economic, social, cultural and political implications that professional sports have on cities and counties nationwide is real, and worthy of discussion.

With our experience in losing our NBA franchise, and now fighting to get one back, nowhere in the US is the issue more heartfelt and actual than here in Seattle. 

For this June Caucus, we decided to change up the format and invite a special guest, legendary sports writer Art Thiel (Seattle PI and Sportspress NW) to provide an intimate perspective on the issue.

Here are a few links to some of his recent writing on the subject: here, here and here.

Although a special guest is in the mix, the roundtable, free flowing discussion that you have come to know and love will remain the same. 

Should be fun. See you next week. And yes, invite other people.

Caucus 5.7.13: The Guantanamo Debacle

This month, Dr. Chris Casillas and I will be sharing the moderator responsibility as we delve into the debacle that is our country's detainment of detainees-prisoners-enemies-unlawful combatants at Guantanamo.
 

As you hopefully already know, there are now 100 of the 168 detainees-prisoners-enemies-

unlawful combatants held at Guantanamo engaged in a week long hunger strike. 23 of them are being force fed liquid nutrients (i.e. Ensure) through their nostrils.

If the situation wasn't bad enough pre-hunger strike, Guantanamo detention and the hunger strike managed to strike a chord this past week with the President and the Press now pressing the issue.

What has taken so long? Why and how does Guantanamo still exist? 

We will be addressing these questions and many many more on Tuesday night. See you there.

Below are some recent articles and Op-Eds that help to give context to what Dr. Casillas descibes as a "Total FUBAR."       

>>>>

Some articles, here, here & here.

Caucus 4.2.13: American Disability

This month, we will be diving into the recent report on the increase of Americans receiving federal disability payments, which has nearly doubled over the last 15 years. DEFINITELY worth the read and or listen. 

Respect given to Planet Money Reporter Chana Joffe-Walt. This is pretty comprehensive and stokes many a question for the roundtable.  

Written story, here, which comes complete with graphics and pics. 

And her This American Life episode, which is in essence a verbal telling of the article, here.         

Caucus 3.5.13: Gun Regulation

March is upon us and with it the madness of sequester. One thing is for certain, Caucus every first Tuesday of the month: 7:30pm to 9:00pm @ The Jade Garden in the ID.

Our esteemed colleague Dr. Chris Casillas will be leading us through a discussion on *gun regulation*. Below his explanation of the topic and accompanying materials. See you Tuesday.

For the next caucus, I'd like to focus on an issue of national significance -- gun regulation --  but focus on local legislative efforts, specifically a requirement for background checks on all gun purchases.  House Bill 1588 is such a legislative effort now pending in the State legislature.  The
attached links include materials on the bill itself, lobbying efforts on both sides of the bill, and general information from the Brady Campaign on background checks and the "gun show loophole."

http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Gun-control-supporters-to-form-lobbying-coalition-4310378.php

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1588&year=2013#documents

http://www.nraila.org/legislation/state-legislation/2013/2/washington-your-state-legislators-must-hear-from-you-today.aspx

http://www.kuow.org/post/rep-mike-hope-background-checks

http://www.bradycampaign.org/legislation/backgroundchecks/gunshowloophole

Caucus 2.5.13: Peak Oil

"Peak Oil" has been deemed the greatest challenge that our modern industrialized has had to face by the scientists, investors, and economist who understand the situation the best. Yet the realities of this great challenge have not penetrated mass consciousness in a world that can only bite off crises as they emerge.

Matt Elley will moderate our discussion and has provided the following materials to help better understand the issue.

Compact write up:
http://www.peakoil.net/about-peak-oil

A More detailed discussion with more extensive data points:
http://www.postcarbon.org/blog-post/1402948-the-really-really-big-picture-there

An alternative viewpoint on Peak Oil:
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Debunking-the-Myth-of-Peak-Oil-Why-the-Age-of-Cheap-Oil-is-Far-From-Over-Part-1.html

Additional Resources:

TED video posting of the founder of "Transition Communities" who discusses the local transformation of communities to a post oil world:
http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_hopkins_transition_to_a_world_without_oil.html

Additional info from the trusted resource National Geographic:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0406/feature5/fulltext.html

Caucus 1.8.13: WA Education Landscape Post-1240

Seattle Public Schools luminary Mr. Michael Tamayo will be leading us through a roundtable discussion on the Washington State educational landscape after the passing of Initiative 1240.

Below is the homework:

A primer on what a charter school is:
http://www.pbs.org/closingtheachievementgap/faq.html

The Myth of Charter Schools - Diane Ravitch. Basically a critique of the documentary Waiting for Superman by Ravitch, who is a staunch critic of the charter movement and former US Assistant Secretary of Education:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/?pagination=false

The Seattle Times op-ed in support of charter schools:

http://seattletimes.com/html/edcetera/2019437870_charter_schools_in_washington.html

Caucus 12.4.12: Walmart Labor - A Better Life For All

TOPIC: The economics of low-wage retail workers

Ho, ho, ho, happy shopping, I mean holiday, season

During this time of the year when so many Americans are focused on buying crap they don't need, I thought it would be appropriate to examine the plight of the American retailer worker, with no better example than the workers of Walmart.  In light of the nationwide labor action on Black Friday protesting Walmart's policies toward pay and compensation of its workers, this issue is now on the front page of news outlet and ripe for further discussion.  Here are some articles on the overall importance of the labor movement, a news account on the Walmart labor actions, and a more comprehensive study on the bad economics associated with low pay retail workers.  Looking forward to the discussion.

http://prospect.org/article/if-labor-dies-whats-next

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/11/whos-really-to-blame-for-the-wal-mart-strikes-the-american-consumer/265542/

http://www.demos.org/publication/retails-hidden-potential-how-raising-wages-would-benefit-workers-industry-and-overall-ec

Caucus 10.2.12: The Underwater Generation - To Walk Or Not?

"Nearly half, or 48%, of all mortgage borrowers under age 40 are underwater." What is the impact and implications of this reality for the "underwater generation"?

At our next Caucus (as always the first Tuesday of the month), 10.2.12 @ The Jade Garden from 7:30 to 9:00pm, we will look to discuss the many questions and challenges that this current real estate debacle has produced. 

A few articles to wet the pallet for our round table, which can also be found at caucuspost.org:

The stark numbers, here.

To walk or not? An examination of the "moral norms" influencing underwater homeowners reasoning in what is at its core an a moral capitalist endeavor, here. 

Seattle Weekly's Tales from the Housing Bust

The Stranger's But there is a catch

Role for government to intervene? Eminent domain

Should be a good one. Looking forward to it.

Caucus 9.4.12: Federal Budget Proposals & Visions For Government

Ahh the smell of convention season... Smells like _______ . 

One of the fun little topics that likes to get thrown around festively at these rip-roaring events is the health and size of the Federal Budget, and by extension the role and effectiveness of the US government.

At our next Caucus, we will delve into the nitty gritty of the budget proposal that the Grand Ol' Party is rolling out in 2012 and what it says about its vision for government.

Some materials to help wet the appetite for The Jade, Tuesday 9.4.12 from 7:30-9:00pm:

The first is from the Tax Policy Center, here.

Some additional data from Ezra Klein at The Washington Post, here and here.

As well as a concise and entertaining (yes, there is video!) breakdown of Obama's 2013 Budget, here.

Caucus 8.7.12: Tax Reform Legislation

First Tuesday of the month coming next week, which means one thing: Caucus. 7:30pm - 9:00pm @ Jade Garden.

Chris Kagi will be moderating our discussion that will tackle issues of tax reform. Per Chris:

In every election year taxes are a big issue and it is clear with the deficit reduction requirements that are coming it will take center stage with the economy.   For the August Caucus we will be discussing the pros and cons of different tax structures and the conversations in DC that may change the current system or keep it in place.

A quick piece from the Christian Science Monitor on the question of fairness - here

This is a quick piece on tax reform legislation in the 80’s compared to now - here

Also the issue of a Flat Tax always comes up.  Here are two articles from opposing sides.

Pro - here

Con - here

See you on Tuesday!

Caucus 7.3.12: Why Women Still Can't Have It All

"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal..." Great. We celebrate this, but what does it signify for American women in 2012?  

At our next Caucus, scheduled (as always) for the first Tuesday of the month, July 3, 7:30pm to 9:00pm @ Jade Garden, we will delve into the conclusion drawn by Anne-Marie Slaughter: "Why women still can't have it all."

"It’s time to stop fooling ourselves, says a woman who left a position of power: the women who have managed to be both mothers and top professionals are superhuman, rich, or self-employed. If we truly believe in equal opportunity for all women, here’s what has to change."

This June Atlantic Monthly cover story has sparked a lively debate, and inspired a wide spectrum of opinion and perspective. The Atlantic has provided several here. 

No better time than days patriotic to convene and discuss our most pressing issues.    

Hope to see you out. Bring along those who are interested.

Caucus 6.7.12: The Shrinking Political Middle

Same time, 7:30pm. Same place, the illustrious Jade Garden.  

Theme:  The Shrinking Political Middle

Moderator: Michael Tamayo

Moral Roots of Liberal and Conservatives:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html

Online bubbles and how they reinforce political ideology

http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html

The End of the Middle of Everything (It's only the Monarchy and the Mob)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-fineman/election-2012-lost-middle-consensus-internet_b_1502845.html

Plutocracy, Paralysis, Perplexity

"Washington is marked by a combination of bitter partisanship and intellectual confusion — and both are, I would argue, largely the result of extreme income inequality."

Fighting words from Krugman.

The Amazon Dilemma

So good to have a Sherman Alexie from and in Seattle. Interestingly enough, this post came out in his weekly "Text from South Lake Union"column in The Stranger the day after our discussion.   

Caucus 5.1.12: Amazon, Wal-Mart in the Sky?

On the occasion of May Day, we'll convene at the usual time and location: Tuesday, May 1, 7:30pm at the Jade Garden (424 7th Ave. S., Seattle).

This month's discussion will focus on Amazon.com.  The Seattle Times ran a broad four-part series about Amazon's business practices, from its tax strategy to its relative lack of local corporate philanthropy.  The Times caught some flack on the grounds that they were knocking a major local employer (and one that could relocate...), but the Times was praised by others for exposing the "Wal-Mart in the sky," which subjects many workers to poor conditions while skimping on taxes and failing to contribute at home.

There's an interesting conversation about the issues explored by the Times, whether people choose smaller retailers over Amazon, etc.  I think that there's probably a deeper set of questions around being a consumer in the the Internet age, and the ways in which the Internet makes us more informed consumers but more disconnected from our merchants.

Homework is pretty light: read the series (on your Kindle) and come with some thoughts.  Even if you're not planning to come, the series is worthwhile.

Caucus 4.3.12: Iran - Bluster or Legitimate Threat?

Nine years ago, March 19, the US invaded Iraq under the pretext of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Now we hear saber rattling on Iran under the ruse of their pursuit of nuclear capabilities. 

Where is this chest puffing leading us? What does it say about the Obama administration's foreign policy? Is there a definitive "Obama Doctrine"?

There is a ton of material out there on this subject. I recommend three citations:

"Moving Beyond War." Bill Moyer interview with Andrew Bacevich. Either 53min video or audio can be found here.

"Time to Attack Iran? A Debate." Opposing views on televised debate moderated by Foreign Affairs, here.

"A Middle Course on Iran." To contain Iran, or to preempt? That is, at present, the question, here.

See you on Tuesday. 

Lobbyists, Guns and Money

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Florida’s now-infamous Stand Your Ground law, which lets you shoot someone you consider threatening without facing arrest, let alone prosecution, sounds crazy — and it is. And it’s tempting to dismiss this law as the work of ignorant yahoos. But similar laws have been pushed across the nation, not by ignorant yahoos but by big corporations. 

Specifically, language virtually identical to Florida’s law is featured in a template supplied to legislators in other states by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a corporate-backed organization that has managed to keep a low profile even as it exerts vast influence (only recently, thanks to yeoman work by the Center for Media and Democracy, has a clear picture of ALEC’s activities emerged). And if there is any silver lining to Trayvon Martin’s killing, it is that it might finally place a spotlight on what ALEC is doing to our society — and our democracy.

Full article here.

Moments of Truth - Goldman

Every great once and awhile a time comes when truth sees the light of day: Goldman Sachs.

Derivative Follow-Up

We had yet another thought provoking roundtable. Special thanks to Matt Elley for facilitating.  Below are a few follow-up links that were referenced during the discussion. Enjoy!

On the origins of the mathematical equation that led so many of these derivative instruments to be severely mispriced (or, conversely, the risk severely misjudged), here.

Vanity Fair article on Jon Corzine, the gentle sir who presided over the recent blow up/bankruptcy of MF Global...Corzine previously ran Goldman Sachs and was Governor of New Jersey, here.

Caucus 3.6.12: The Derivative Market & Shadow Banking System

The Derivative Market & Shadow Banking System         

Advocate Perspective:

“Ultimately, derivatives offer organizations the opportunity to break financial risks into smaller components and then to buy and sell those components to best meet specific risk-management objectives. Moreover, under a market-oriented philosophy, derivatives allow for the free trading of individual risk components, thereby improving market efficiency. Using financial derivatives should be considered a part of any business's risk-management strategy to ensure that value-enhancing investment opportunities can be pursued.”

                – Tom Siems, Dallas Federal Reserve Economic & Policy Advisor

Source: http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-283.html

*Note this perspective is from 1997, before the two most significant financial system stresses that have occurred in the 1998 Failure of Long-Term Capital management and the financial crises of 2007-2011.

Critical Perspective:

·         Critic’s commentary on the possibility and implications of our next financial crisis that will likely be related to derivatives: http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/coming-derivatives-crisis-could-destroy-entire-global-financial-system

·         NY Times article on Secretive Banking Elite who rule the trade in derivatives: http://www.cnbc.com/id/40628316/

·         In 1933 the Glass Steagall Act was passed in response to reform needed to avoid another Great Depression. The repeal of provisions of the Glass–Steagall Act by the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act in 1999 effectively removed the separation that previously existed between investment banking which issued securities and commercial banks which made money through deposits. It was the repeal of these prohibitions that was later claimed by many to have contributed to the financial crisis of 2007-11 by allowing depositors' money to flow into risky investments. This has helped to create many large banking institutions that are “too big to fail” and justifications for government bail outs.  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass%E2%80%93Steagall_Act

·         Brooksley Born, the head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission [CFTC], issued a warning in the late 1990s of the dangers of derivatives in our financial system. Her criticism was suppressed by the financial industry and some of Washington’s top regulators:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/warning/view/

·         Federal Reserve Map of the Shadow Banking system: (Only referenced to note the complexity of the system map on page 3) http://www.ny.frb.org/research/staff_reports/sr458.pdf

Some Solutions:

·         Creating a Market Exchange for OTC derivatives. South Korea’s efforts: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-12/south-korea-to-start-otc-derivatives-clearinghoue-to-reduce-global-risks.html

Complex systems are efficient but run with little margin of error. They breakdown less frequently but when they do the fail catastrophically. One framework to improve complex systems is through the application of the Principals of Resilience:  http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/04/15/the_next_big_thing_resilience

Follow-Up: Unexpected Opposition to I-502

Not all are on-board for Initiative 502 to legalize marijuana.  Namely, the business owners that currently sell medical marijuana through dispensaries. Interesting perspective, here.

Caucus 2.7.12: Legalization of Marijuana

For our next Caucus on Tuesday (2.7.12 from 7:30pm to 9:00pm @ Jade Garden) we will discuss the pro's and con's of legalizing Marijuana, or drugs, in general.  Especially relevant as its legalization will be coming up on the Washington State ballot this November.

We will look to discuss the state's current inclination towards criminalization as opposed to a health issue and rehabilitation, and its implications. Materials:

Washington State Initiative, here & here.

 

Pros & Cons, here & here.

Interesting clip of Ron Paul in a recent debate.  How interesting that he would be the one to bring this up in a national debate? 

The Business of Getting High: Documentary film on the history of marijuana/cannabis.